Two Vie for Mayor's Post in Upcoming Municipal Election

Editor’s Note: Dick Cook, a write-in candidate for Mayor of East Ridge, is the editor and publisher of East Ridge News Online.

Two people are seeking the office of Mayor of East Ridge.

Incumbent Brian Williams is asking voters for a second term. After former City Councilman Denny Manning withdrew from the race, and community activist Earl Wilson decided the day before the qualifying deadline not to run, Dick Cook entered the race as a qualified write-in candidate.

With early voting concluding on Thursday and the November 8 Election Day around the corner, East Ridge News Online asked the two candidates about issues facing our city, such as crime reduction, smart growth, and how Border Region increment tax money and grant money are being utilized.

Dick Cook:

What qualifications do you have for this position?

I’ve lived in East Ridge virtually my entire life and have been involved in the political process as an adult. I’m a journalist/activist who has covered and observed the actions inside City Hall and the pursuit of providing services to the 21,000 people who live here. I served on the 2010 Charter Study Committee and was an informal advisor to past Mayor Mike Steele.I studied political science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and worked for a Congressional candidate in the 1996 election.

What would you change or do differently in helping to govern your community?

I would begin by reviewing the priorities of our city. Public Safety should be priority one, followed by streets, sanitation, and codes. For more than a decade the city’s top priority appears to have been parks and recreation, which has been disproportionately funded. For far too long, the taxpayers of East Ridge have been subsidizing the recreational opportunities of those from surrounding counties.

Let’s take a look at the challenges facing East Ridge: Despite touting an economic boon, our property taxes were raised 27 percent by the incumbent’s administration. The city’s streets have been neglected under the incumbent’s administration. The city receives the better part of $1 million a year in state gas tax money which should be earmarked for road maintenance. It’s apparent that money has been diverted for other purposes. The perception of many East Ridge residents is that City Hall panders to the interests of big business and their enquiries fall on deaf ears.

How would you best define “smart growth” for your community?

We desperately need to create a position of City Planner/Economic Development, something which I proposed years ago. The city has a central business district along the commercial corridor which cries out for renewal. As we are landlocked, East Ridge has little to no opportunity for commercial growth. The emphasis needs to be on renewal, which requires particular expertise. The inaction by city officials for more than a decade as it pertains to the former McBrien School building is deplorable. This property was prime for redevelopment and could have potentially created momentum for commercial development in the central area of Ringgold Road. However, this administration and those preceding it, missed a golden opportunity.

Do you feel infrastructure grant monies have been adequately used to address projects and upkeep in your community?

I do not. The city has dropped the ball on managing what grants we have obtained. Most of the grants have been used for recreational purposes. Most recently, the city was awarded a $3 million federal grant administered through TDEC. Our elected officials passed that money onto the WWTA with no discussion. It conceivably could have been used to offset construction costs for the stormwater component of the Ringgold Road multi-modal project.

Do you have solutions for the level of crime in your community?

Under former ERPD Chief J.R. Reed, the number of sworn officers was doubled. Under the administration of former Chief Stan Allen, the department saw the departure of more than 10 percent of the force. There is an apparent morale problem that needs to be addressed. New leadership by Chief Clint Uselton gives the department an opportunity to reverse that trend and imbue a culture of community policing.

Brian Williams:

In response to the above questions, Brian Williams asked for this link to be provided to the voters:

Facebook Link

About Dick Cook